


A prison conversation

by voxofthevoid



Category: Hannibal (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Fluff, Hannigram - Freeform, M/M, Prison, Psychopaths In Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-02
Updated: 2014-06-02
Packaged: 2018-01-21 14:52:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,079
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1554299
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/voxofthevoid/pseuds/voxofthevoid
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Will visits Hannibal in the Baltimore State Hospital for the Criminally Insane and is angry for all the wrong reasons.</p><p> </p><p>  <i>“No, you are going to let me finish. You weren’t supposed to get caught, Hannibal.” He let out a derisive laugh. “And it wouldn’t have happened, but you never could resist cutting it too close, could you? Always dancing on the edge, teasing, practically shouting to the world what you are!” another chuckle, a pained one and Hannibal closed his eyes, resting his forehead against the cool glass. <i></i></i></p>
            </blockquote>





	A prison conversation

A Prison Conversation

 

“Hello, Will,” he called, the echo of a similar greeting, one that happened during what now seemed like a lifetime ago.

 

“Hello, Dr Lecter.” Will seemed well, outwardly at least. Hannibal had no doubt that the empath’s mind was in turmoil and felt guilty for his part in it.

 

“How are you, _mon_ _cher_?” he asked softly, silently damning Chilton to the deepest depths of hell for his penchant for listening in on the inmates’ conversations. He was finally seeing Will after nearly six months and he couldn’t even talk freely.

 

As if reading his mind, Will said, “No one’s listening. I got Jack to pull a few strings and ensure us privacy. For this time, at least.” He smiled that familiar, lopsided smile and Hannibal felt a pang of longing. “I feel like shit, actually,” he added as an afterthought, smile still in place.

 

Hannibal slowly walked towards the glass separating him from his Will and stopped short of touching it. Will remained where he was, a few paces away and stared intently at Hannibal, soft blue eyes boring into maroon ones. Again, he was hit by that _guilt_ , for the pain he knew he was causing Will. He never wanted to disappoint the man like this.

 

“I’m sorry, dear William.” His words sounded hollow, even to his own ears. It wasn’t that he didn’t mean them. He did. But they were horribly inadequate. As if those four words wrecked whatever self-restraint he possessed, Will stalked forward, slamming his hands onto the transparent glass. His fury was palpable and his eyes were burning.

 

 _Beautiful_.

 

Hannibal didn’t flinch, holding that fiery gaze, allowing his emotions to show in his eyes as he did only with Will.

 

“You’re _sorry_?” Will’s voice was soft. Soft and dangerous. Despite himself, Hannibal shivered and it had nothing to do with terror. “Do you have any _idea_ what you have _done_ to me?”

 

“Will-”

 

“No, you are going to let me finish. You weren’t supposed to get caught, Hannibal.” He let out a derisive laugh. “And it wouldn’t have happened, but you never could resist cutting it too close, could you? Always dancing on the edge, teasing, practically shouting to the world what you are!” another chuckle, a pained one and Hannibal closed his eyes, resting his forehead against the cool glass.

 

“Cannibal puns and artistic displays are one thing, Hannibal. But keeping _Miriam fucking Lass_ alive?! What the fuck were you thinking?”

 

He kept silent, knowing from experience that it was better to let Will speak his mind when was in a state like this. Besides, his answer would only aggravate the man further. Will never did have much of a tolerance for his tendency to play God.

 

But it seemed like Will was done, because only a pregnant silence remained in their wake. Hannibal opened his eyes and locked gazes with Will, unabashedly drinking in the beautiful sight of his anger.

 

“I truly am sorry, cher. I never meant to leave you alone. I foolishly believed that no one but you could catch me.” A truly foolish assumption, especially since a mere trainee had caught him the first time. But being with Will had lowered his guards, divided his focus and made him slightly reckless. Not that he regretted their relationship. No, that was precious.

 

He heard Will sigh as he too rested his head against the glass, mirroring Hannibal. His next words were calm, but tinged in grief and that hurt Hannibal more than his anger ever could.

 

“I’m to blame as well. I planted the idea that you were the Ripper in Jack’s head. And he was far too obsessed to just let it go, no matter how much he liked you.”

 

He wished he could he reach across the glass and touch Will, cradle him in his arms and chase away the distress. It still surprised him how Will- and only Will- could draw out these tender emotions from them. It was equal parts vexing and exciting.

 

“It’s not your fault, Will. You believed I had betrayed you. And I had, really. If I didn’t blame you for coming to kill me after you were released, how can I blame you for telling Jack what you’d pieced together?”

 

“If you’d just told me, Hannibal, before all this mess…” he trailed off, a single tear rolling down his cheek. Hannibal wanted to taste it as he had that night, when Will had come to his house, gun in hand and righteous anger brightening his blue eyes.

 

“We cannot change the past, my dear Will. But we can control our future.”

 

Will laughed, the sound more genuine this time around. He drew his head back, keeping his hands pressed against the glass. Hannibal noted with some surprise that his own had joined them somewhere in the course of their conversation.

 

“I don’t know when I’ll be able to visit you again.” Hannibal wasn’t surprised, but that did little to ease his disappointment. “Jack and Alana believe it’s… unhealthy… for me to be caught up n the past. Caught up in you.” He smiled, warm and loving and an answering smile bloomed on his own face. “They don’t know that I am so caught up in you that I’ll _never_ be free. I’ll never _want_ to be free.” The words were whispered like a promise and he nodded, not trusting himself to speak.

 

Although, it was quite foolish to try and hide his distress from Will, the empath picking up on it with disturbing ease.

 

“Hey, it’ll be alright. I’ll try to come.” His voice was soft, soothing and it washed over and into Hannibal.

 

“I’m beginning to realize that beginning to _feel_ more has its… disadvantages. I’m not used to being so anxious,” he confessed. Will had affected him just as much, if not more than, he had affected Will. He would have liked more time- eternity, perhaps- to explore what they had. Not that he had any intention of being locked away indefinitely.

 

“It has its perks too, remember?” Will piped, smiling deviously. Oh, he remembered all too well.

 

“I may not be able to come here, Hannibal, but I fully expect to see you… soon.”

 

He chuckled, marveling at how their thoughts often mirrored each other’s.

 

“Of course, dear Will.”

 

“I’ll be waiting.”

 

Hannibal smiled, that now-familiar warmth filling him.

 

“Not for long, mon cher.”

 

_That would be rude._

“Je t’aime, William.”

 

“I love you too.”

**Author's Note:**

> English is not my mother tongue. Let me know if it shows. Grammar and tense corrections are always welcome.


End file.
